


The Reprieve

by toggledog



Series: Ironfrost [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Bottom Loki (Marvel), Bottom Tony Stark, Fluff and Smut, M/M, POV Tony Stark, Romance, Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Top Loki (Marvel), Top Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2019-03-21 16:34:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13744944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toggledog/pseuds/toggledog
Summary: Loki and Tony are together in New York, very much in love, and fulfilling all manner of cheeky mischief, when Thor and Doctor Strange arrive, to tell them Odin is on Earth, with Hela about to be released.In other words, this is a retelling, of sorts, of Thor: Ragnarok, if Tony was added in, as Loki's lover.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This can be seen as a sequel to my "The Prisoner" fic. If you haven't read it, no worries (it's far darker than this), this also works as a standalone fic.
> 
> Enjoy!

The chair thudded against the wall, as Tony bounced up and down, moaning at the sensation of Loki’s hard coolness slamming into him, causing intense desire to spiral around his body, reaching the apex at his own erection, which his lover stroked with equal vigour, to Tony’s jolting frame.

“Damn… Loki…”

Loki groaned, his teeth digging into Tony’s neck, increasing his vibrant nerves to an electrified culmination, that propelled frantic groans from his overworked larynx. No doubt, tomorrow he was going to embarrass Pepper and Bruce by bragging about his lovebites again.

_Yes, that is it, Loki… right there…_

They were both close, he could tell.

_No, no… too soon…_

He told himself to pull back from the brink of overwhelming passion, focusing his mind against the wonderful attention that Loki was paying to him, and towards the dining room in which they were making love. The plates still bore the crumbs of their continental breakfast, the porcelain mugs still containing the last dregs of coffee. An antique oaken dresser on the other side of the table bore a dozen framed photos of both himself and Loki, as well as trinkets from their adventures together, in the two years they had been a couple.

“…Senator Gil Meadows, who, in an unparalleled turn of events, is campaigning _against_ the controversial anti-climate change bill…” the digital voice came into his field of hearing, from the speakers built into the dining walls, on either side of the dresser.

Tony ceased in his movements to giggle.

“Could the visit from the ghosts of environmental past, present and future have something to do with it?” He asked.

“Mm…” Loki also stopped thrusting, and ran a hand over his sweat slicked chest. “That was fun. Though, in your vast imagination, I believed you would have been more fantastical, than merely showing him the financial benefits of changing over to renewable sources.”

“I don’t have the luxury of creating an illusion of an entire tropical rainforest or destroyed world for him to see. I don’t even have the luxury of changing my appearance. You had to do it for me.”

“Images of destruction are my style, you may have noticed,” Loki’s lips quirked, eyes sparkling.

“Hm…” Tony climbed off him, sliding his hardness out of himself.

“What are you doing? I was almost complete,” Loki pouted in appropriately cute fashion.

_Yes, that’s the problem, gorgeous._

Tony grabbed a napkin off the surface of the table and wiped Loki’s erection, before lowering his mouth onto him, as he used his fingers to prepare him; pressing deep inside and causing the demigod to squirm, delicious whimpers escaping his lips.

“How about I now take you, right on top of this table?” Tony said, still kneeling before Loki, in what he was certain was a very sensual position.

Loki’s blue eyes widened and he jumped onto the oaken surface, shoving the assorted cutlery and plates aside, as he spread his legs. Tony moved between them, grasping his erection.

“Loki?”

Loki wrapped his legs around his waist.

“Yes, Tony. Please, take me hard. Do it!”

“If there is nothing I like better than adamant consent, it’s adamant _enthusiastic_ consent,” Tony said, fondling Loki’s erection.

“Just shut up and take me! I want you now!”

_If you insist._

In one swift thrust, he entered his tight, fiery hot body and began pounding, relishing Loki’s groans, the crinkling of his face in his sheer ecstasy.

“Tony, yes!” Loki’s fingernails dug into his back and buttocks, urging him to move faster.

“How complete are you now?” Tony asked, smirking.

“Close…” Loki said thrusting back to meet him. Though they had made love countless times, Loki was always so tight, it was as though he was attempting to meld Tony’s being with his, to create a Loki-Tony hybrid. Indeed, Tony had never before experienced such intense sexual coupling before.

“Good, so am I…”

“We are so naughty, aren’t we?” Loki giggled.

“Having sex to a news station listing our achievements of the week is an amusing display of our egos-“

“Tony shut up because I am going to-“ Loki’s pale cheeks discolouring pink was always the signal he was on the brink of climax.

Tony captured the demi-god’s lips, as he jerked against him, the quivering of his insides and erection in his hand, as his seed spilled between them, enough to launch Tony into unimaginable bliss. He flung his head back and cried out, continuing to snap his hips, as he emptied himself into his lover, in a torrent of seed.

“That was very gratifying indeed, Tony…” Loki reached for the back of his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. For Tony’s part, he had come so hard he felt lightheaded.

_It’s possible I may have shrunk my testicles, from overuse._

A circular light shimmered in the corner of the room. Both Tony and Loki turned their heads, to a bright portal, displaying half of a book case and cluttered desk, emerging in the entrance between the kitchen and dining room and blocking the usual view of the kitchen bench and stove. This grew to display the entirety of the bookcase, that reached up to a high ceiling, before a familiar goateed man appeared before the desk and stepped out of the portal and into the dining room, followed by Thor.

“What are you doing here? Get out!” Loki shouted.

Doctor Strange flushed bright red and stepped back into the library he’d just come out of, echoing the hastily departed Thor. The hole in space-time closed and the two disappeared.

Loki and Tony caught eyes, blue on brown, and burst out laughing. They gathered up their clothes, changed and sat on the dining chairs, waiting. There was no need to discuss what had just occurred. Thor and Doctor Strange’s combined embarrassment far outstripped their own. Within less than a minute, the portal opened up again and Thor and Doctor Strange stepped out.

“So, now you’re better attired, we can get down to business,” Strange said.

“Next time, appear before the front door and knock!” Loki said.

“Oh, don’t worry, we will,” Doctor Strange’s high cheekbones were still dusted pink.

“Why did you deem to interrupt us? If it’s to do with the Senator-“ Loki began.

“Actually, something far more important is happening, than your political meanderings.”

“Loki, Odin has returned,” Thor said.

Loki’s skin grew paler, his eyes widening. “But he was on Surtur.”

“He was released.”

“Where is he now?”

Doctor Strange twirled his fingers, sparking yellow whirls as a new portal opened, displaying a vast green meadow, dotted with yellow and pink flowers. Though all three lived in the same city, Tony rarely saw the doctor. He cursed himself for not visiting, in the two years that he had known the doctor was also in New York, to discuss his fanciful powers. Now would not be the opportune time to ask him about the physics involved in his ripping of the space-time continuum.

“Norway,” Doctor Strange said.

*

The brothers and Odin stood at the edge of the cliff, overlooking a dark ocean. Tony lingered back, his intrigue towards the famed Odin lessened by his urge to allow the brothers time alone with their father. He was more than aware that Loki, in particular, had a convoluted relationship with the one who had raised him to be king and then thwarted that chance, with the truth of his upbringing. Tony commiserated with Loki the knowledge of a father who was unfair with how he doled out his affections, forcing his own son to jump at every scrap. Loki’s crimes had been great, yes, but Tony had forgiven him for them, when the angst of his past was revealed; furthermore, when Loki expressed remorse, the need to make up for them.

In many ways, both were similar. Tony was beyond pride to admit their combined need for constant affection and attention, derived from the lack of guidance, as children. In the past, both had abused their brilliance in ways that were detrimental to themselves and others. To their loved ones. Both had also been anguished and suffered ill consequence in turn.

Odin’s body dispersing, obliterating to a shimmer of gold, jolted Tony from his musings. He blinked, before rushing forward, his pulse sounding in his ears.

“What just happened? That was-? Am I dreaming?” Tony peered over the edge of the cliff, to the crashing waves on rocks below. A hand on his chest signalled Loki stopping him from stepping further forward, to potential danger.

“He is perished. But there’s more,” Thor said, his voice hoarse. “They deliberately let him free, so he could perish. Only then can Hela be released.”

“Hela? Based on her name, I’m thinking that can’t be a good thing,” Tony frowned.

“No,” Loki said. “Thor’s evil sister.”

Tony’s brown eyes flew from one to the other. “Okay, you two have serious family issues.”

A rip in the space behind them interrupted his speech, a dark tearing through in a portal that could only be made by the anti-Strange. A woman stepped into the field, with long black hair and the type of leather outfit that seemed the height of couture fashion in Asgard, but would attracted both wary and appreciative glances in the New York subway.

“I thought you would be pleased to see me!” She said, to the brothers, standing before her. “You don’t look like our father.”

“Whatever you want, perhaps we can negotiate,” Loki said, grabbing Tony’s hand and grasping it so tight his fingers tingled.

‘You sound like him,” she said, before her gaze fell upon Tony. “You… I have no idea who you are.”

“Tony Stark. Philanthropist. Billionaire. Scientist-“

“Whatever you have planned,” Thor interrupted. “It won’t work. We won’t let you.”

Hela laughed, the sound shrill, yet eerie. “Oh, you are adorable. Now, bow down to me.”

“Excuse me?” Loki asked.

“Bow down to your queen.”

“Loki, are you sure this isn’t _your_ sister?” Tony asked.

“I grow tired of this,” Thor said and threw his hammer. Hela caught it. For a moment, she stared at him, grinning, the weapon vibrating in her hand.

Loki’s sharp intake of breath echoed Tony’s own stunned freezing of innards.

“No, it’s not possible,” Thor said.

“Oh you have no idea as to what is possible,” Hela said.

The hammer disintegrated, the resulting impact blast throwing the other three back. For his part, Tony was baffled and, he admitted, turned on, by the sheer use of force.

Loki’s arm now went around his waist, gripping his hip tightly.

“We need to get to Asgard, now! We need to warn them.”

“Loki no!” Thor said, as Hela stalked toward them, with the confidence of a predator that already knows the prey is dead.

“Send us back!” Loki ordered up to the sky.

Another, wider portal opened above them, shimmering lights spinning around. Loki continued to grasp Tony’s waist, as they were pulled upwards, at an alarming pace, through the multi-coloured spectacle of lights that swirled around them. The scientist in Tony longed to slow down a moment, to study the phenomenon. The superhero in him looked down, at Hela and Thor racing up after them, and was coming up with, and discarding, plans of attack, as he gripped onto Loki’s arm with such tightness it surely cut off the circulation.

Hela reached them and Loki kicked out, withdrawing his blades, ready to fight. With a graceful motion, Hela spun around, her foot making contact with Loki’s hipbone. Tony screamed, as both were slammed sideways out of the revolving cylinder, spinning helplessly, before the ground met up with them, with an almighty crash.

Tony groaned, prodding first his abdomen, then upper ribs, for broken bones. He was in no pain but that fall was guaranteed to have caused multiple fractures.

“It’s okay, Tony. I used my powers to lessen your impact to the ground. You are uninjured,” Loki helped him up to a sitting position.

“Where are we?” Tony said, looking around. They were in a junkyard, of sorts, piles of trash rising high up into the blue sky, littered with all manner of alien materials that Tony itched to get his hands on, to pry apart and study. A deluge of offensive odours hit his nose with such ferocity he bent over and coughed.

“I’m not sure-“

Loki stiffened, as a bunch of tiny alien figures in robes and metal masks stalked towards them, from around the edges of the trash piles. Tony stood up, cursing his lack of… anything to defend himself. He’d even appreciate a piece of cutlery, at that point.

“Food or fight?” One of the figures broke away from the others, to stand before them.

_They speak English?_

Loki smiled and rose into the air, pointing his hand at Tony and causing his body to likewise rise up with him. If Tony wasn’t so fearful and confused as to what was happening, he would have enjoyed the weightlessness.

“Do not be afraid! We mean you no harm. It is us, your saviours,” Loki said.

The hooded creatures looked around at each other. Despite their alien background and masks, to Tony, their bafflement was clear.

“I will give you all you have asked for. Bless you,” Loki said, focusing all of his magnetism.

“Should we let the master decide?” The front creature asked the others.

“Do not be afr-“ Was as far as Loki got, before the creatures threw an electrical mesh on both him and Tony, dragging them back towards the ground.

*

“This homage to whoever the Grandmaster is… is not tastefully done,” Loki said. Seated in a chair alongside him, that spun, at a tremendous speed, through space, propelled on a rollercoaster inspired assembly line of increasing homage to the same humanoid, Tony had to agree. For an alien planet that apparently worshipped a humanoid with a grotesque blue goatee, he wished they would have come up with better visuals.

 “He needs work with his grooming, for one,” Tony said.

“If we were going to declare ourselves gods of the planet, we’d achieve far better efficiency,” Loki said.

The scenery abruptly changed and Tony gasped, finding himself in the centre of a throne room, with the Grandmaster before him, blue goatee and all. The fledgling architect in Tony was impressed by the simple gold and silver lines of the room’s design; all curves and circles, giving the allusion of greater space. The throne, itself, was small and vividly blue and white. The Grandmaster had even dressed those around him according to the colour scheme, with two female humanoids in gold seated at the top of the stairs in front.

“It’s you! Oh, Tony we finally made it! We are such fans! Such fans!” Loki exclaimed.

“Really?” the Grandmaster beamed.

“We travelled all the way here, just to see you.”

The eyes of the woman beside the Grandmaster narrowed.

“So, you know about the games, do you? About my amazing champion?” The Grandmaster asked.

“Incredible,” Loki said.

“Isn’t he?”

The Grandmaster’s gaze shifted to Tony. “Awestruck, are we?”

“Indeed…”

The Grandmaster laughed.

“Well, who am I to deny such great fans of myself? We can find these two a place to stay, to enjoy the festivities, can’t we?” He asked the woman.

“I don’t think-“ The woman began but was cut off by the Grandmaster.

“Just answer me one thing. What is it about me you like the most?” The Grandmaster’s gaze shifted back to Loki.

“Just _one_?” Loki exclaimed. “I couldn’t even begin to even come up with one!”

“I would say your sheer magnetism,” Tony finished, playing along with Loki’s plan.

*

“What an absolute dunderhead,” Loki said, flopping down on the bed, as Tony curiously explored the room. It was, in essence, not much different from an earth motel room, containing a four-poster bed with silky yellow linen, a wardrobe, chest of drawers and table and chairs consisting of the same robust silvery material and a soft, leathery red lounge chair. The only signs of its alien origin were the jet spa in the corner with pink water, and balloon sized bubbles, and the life-size statues of the Grandmaster, on either side of the door way.

“Loki, we need to get out of here. We need to go to your Asgard,” Tony said, pacing back and forth on the plush red carpet in front of the bed.

“You sound like Thor,” Loki sighed.

“Hela is currently… actually, I’m not sure what her plan is…only that she destroyed Thor’s hammer… which was… disturbing…” Tony sat down beside him.

Loki sat up. “Ok so what’s _our_ plan?”

“Easy! We steal a vehicle, go to Asgard and-“

“Get ourselves killed. Straight away.”

Tony paused, not wanting to ask, to have his dread confirmed. “Do you think Thor is dead?”

“I don’t know... I don’t think so… I don’t like the situation more than you do. But we can’t go barging back into Asgard without a plan. Let’s figure out what the situation is here, with that ridiculous Grandmaster and then we can work out what the best course of action will be,” Loki wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist, resting his head on his shoulder.

“You alright, gorgeous?” Tony asked.

In the midst of their frantic day, he hadn’t forgotten that Odin had died. Although Loki had a fractured relationship with him, it was, after all, his father.

Loki nodded, his eyes overly bright. Tony cupped his chin, to gaze at the delicate face. Despite Loki’s knack for grandeur, it was in quieter times as these, that the vulnerability that was at the core of his personality came to the fore.

“So much has occurred today. I need time to process… Yes, even me and my magnificent brain.”

“Yes, it is a magnificent brain,” Tony said, his voice husky, as he brushed his lips against Loki’s.

Loki entangled his fingers in Tony’s hair and both fell back onto the bed.

*

Loki sat in his usual position, on the couch with a martini in hand, surrounded by admirers.  So far, he was winning the bet, between himself and Tony. Of course, it was difficult for Tony to ingratiate himself with the people of the planet, when he spent a fair chunk of his time checking the scrapyards for material to build his new Iron Men, to be used, if necessary, in the battle for Asgard. If it came to that. Loki had, in turn, used his charm and charisma to convince key aristocratic members of the upper class to part with items that were useful for Tony. Other times, he simply stole the gear, including the code for the Grandmaster’s private plane.

Fresh in his mind was the memory of the week before, when the Grandmaster had called them to the throne room.

“I have an offer for you, of which many would give great sacrifice to have. Tonight, both of you are invited to join me on my orgy ship,” The Grandmaster had said, leaning forward in his chair, the edges of his lips lifting into a vulpine smile.

Tony was attuned enough to Loki’s body to recognise the miniscule stiffening, beside him. Any around would not notice, however.

_Orgy ship?_

The Tony Stark of ten years before would have been on that orgy ship before the Grandmaster had even stopped talking. However, that was before Pepper, before Loki.

“What fabric are the seats?” Loki asked.

“Fabric?” From the Grandmaster’s expression, he had never been asked that question before, when it came to his ship. “Velunium.”

“Oh… unfortunately both Tony and I are allergic to velunium. Even coming within a metre of it and our throat swells up. Could be fatal,” Loki said.

“Both of you are allergic to velunium? How peculiar!” The Grandmaster said.

“Yes, it is strange, isn’t it? So odd you’d think I was making it up!”

It took the greatest effort on Tony’s part to keep his concerned expression and not break out into mirth.

“Shame,” the Grandmaster frowned. “The velunium is so supple against the back. No matter. You’ll both have to come to my chambers tonight. No velunium there. Tony, you and I can take turns with taking Loki, culminating in the greatest erotic pleasure for all three of us.”

From the bored expressions of the guards, this wasn’t the first time the Grandmaster had suggested a threesome. Tony had clenched his fists.

“Thank you for the offer but we’ll have to respectfully decline.”

“You’re refusing me?” The grandmaster’s brow had raised.

“It’s not personal. I love Loki and don’t want to share him with another. And he feels the same away about me.”

“How peculiar!” The Grandmaster had whispered. “I’ve never come across this before. Two beings wanting only sexual fulfilment from each other. It’s sweet, wouldn’t you say?” He had then turned to Topaz, who had grunted.

After the Grandmaster had seen them off, Loki had turned to Tony and expressed annoyance that his charms and intellect hadn’t been the reason why the Grandmaster had thought so highly of him, but rather that the Grandmaster wanted him.

Topaz now came over to stand beside Tony. If the bet was to see how many of these aliens they could convince to hand over items they needed, then Loki was certainly losing with her. She glared at the demigod as though he was a smear of waste caked onto the bottom of one of the piece of debris thrown about by the wind outside.

“You’re looking good today,” Tony blessed her with showing his dazzling teeth. “Is that a new hairstyle?”

The woman sneered.

“It won’t work on me,” she said.

“What do you mean?”

“And tell your friend I don’t trust him either.”

“He’s not my friend. He’s my beloved. Big difference.”

Topaz shrugged. “Don’t care.”

She stormed off. Tony turned to watch her go, frowning. Before him, Loki stood up from his chair and ambled over, blue eyes glittering, lips upturned. It occurred to Tony that Loki was in his element.

“Well hello my gorgeous brown eyed one,” Loki said, handing Tony his cocktail glass. Tony took a sip. Not bad. A tad too much vermouth… or whatever approximated that here. Loki leant closer, slipping a hard object into Tony’s pocket. “Come sit with us. Regale us of tales of Midgard. My new friends want to know all about my Tony.”

“Is that so?” Tony asked, resisting the strong urge to smash their lips together, before throwing Loki over his shoulder, taking him to their room, and tossing him down onto the bed.

“Yes!” Loki now placed an arm around his waist and turned to face the others. “You all want to hear about Tony, don’t you? They say you’re shorter than they’d originally thought.”

“Oh, I have plenty of tales to regale you with,” Tony grinned, taking another sip of Loki’s cocktail and moving forward.

*

The adoring crowd broke in a deluge of guffaws. Loki caught Tony’s eyes and shook his head, before leaning across and placing another tiny tool in his pocket.

“We should go back to our room,” Loki whispered.

Tony grinned back at him and faced the crowd. ‘Okay, we’ve got to go.”

The crowd collectively sighed.

“We’re busy people.”

“Exactly!” Loki said.

Both stood up and started to walk away, only to be stopped, by the Grandmaster himself. Topaz was in her usual spot beside him, lips as downturned as the Grandmaster’s were upturned.

“You two have been here, what, a week? I can’t decide who is more popular. You’re both a hit with the populous.”

“Not as much as you. Warming them up for you,” Loki favoured him with his charming smile.

“Hm…I’m going to have another fight, in a couple of days. I would be honoured if you both were my special guests.”

“Oh, certainly!” Loki grinned. “We would be, indeed, honoured.”

*

Tony waited until they had arrived back in their room and locked the door, before reaching into his pocket, and pulling out the transformer he had been needing, in the past day, for his new creation.

“Thank you, Loki.” He moved over to where the half-assembled Iron Man stood, and opened up the cavity of its chest, inserting the transformer inside, before fiddling around with the wires.

“Tony, are you enjoying it here?”

“As crazy as this place is, I’ll have to admit yes, I am.”

Loki grinned, came up to him and kissed him on the mouth.

“You are loving being here, aren’t you? It’s cute,” Tony said, running his hands through his soft, springy hair. “Charming the local people and getting them to do whatever you want. Or plain stealing off them. Yes, it’s very you.”

“And you aren’t thrilled by their enthralment of your every word?” Loki asked.

“I have something of my own for you,” Tony said, rummaging around in his pocket, and bringing out a small tube, before squeezing a dab onto his finger and licking it. “Tastes like strawberries.”

Loki grabbed his hand and nibbled on the finger. “Mm does taste delicious. Maybe you could lick it off another body part.”

“Maybe,” Tony kissed his lips. “I could lick it off you…Both front and back.”

Loki’s pupils dilated, his breath quickening.

“Then… I’ll fuck your brains out,” Tony shrugged.

Loki laughed. “Charming. You are, indeed, the master of seduction.”

“How long have we been together now? I figured to save time, I’d get to the point. So I can have more time with this strawberry flavoured lube and your body.”

“I can’t deny I have a problem with that at all,” Loki said, kissing his lips once more.

*

Tony had Loki pressed up against one of the tapestries bearing the Grandmaster’s muscular physique and thumbs up, with the trickster god’s legs around his waist, their hands in each other’s hair, lips locked. Others bustled back and forth in the busy corridor but Tony and Loki only had eyes, lips and bodies for each other.

“We should go back into the room, get undressed, and make love again,” Loki said. “What is it about this place…?”

“Maybe because it’s so hedonistic,” Tony said.

“Mm…” Loki’s pale irises were bright blue, in the light streaming in from the stained-glass window opposite, bearing another portrait of the Grandmaster, with his hand on a kneeling subject. “Are you alright here, Tony? You don’t miss earth, do you?”

“This place is perfect, Loki. For both of us. We can be whatever we want here. A hedonist’s paradise.”

“No. You miss earth. You miss your friends, your tower, you Iron Men.”

Tony caught the unspoken words, as to what- or who- Loki was missing.

“We’ll find a way to come back. And we’ll find Thor,” Tony said, playing with the hair by his ear.

“Well well! There you two are,” the Grandmaster’s voice sounded behind them.

Loki dropped his legs and Tony spun around, squinting from the dazzle of the Grandmaster’s white teeth.

“You two are adorable! I’m off to have an orgy.”

“Have fun,” Tony said.

“Just adorable… And you’re so charming, Loki,” the Grandmaster said. “You’re a lucky man, Tony.”

Tony had the sudden image in his mind of the Grandmaster’s front teeth smashing against the wall they’d been making out on, courtesy of his own bloodied fist. Instead, he forced his reluctant face muscles to lift his lips up into a smile, as he placed a proprietary arm around Loki’s shoulders.

“If any others showed up who claimed to be close to you I would be forced to execute them on the spot! Too much attention from me,” the Grandmaster laughed.

_Yep, because that’s not creepy at all._

“Oh, I can assure you I’m not well liked,” Loki laughed back.

“Alright. Ta ta.”

Loki waited until the Grandmaster had walked around the corner, before whispering in Tony’s ear.

“Such a confounded fool!”

“His creepiness has significantly decreased my erection,” Tony sighed.

“I’m sure I can have you at attention,” Loki smirked.

*

“And so, the Grandmaster... the ultimate in wonderment thrust his giant throbbing-“ Loki held a dusty thick tome in his hands. He’d liberated the book from the Grandmaster’s private library the day before, informing Tony it was a biography, of sorts.

Both him and Tony sat naked on the armchair facing the window, with Tony behind, his long legs resting on Loki’s thighs, paying more interest in kissing his lover’s hair, and stroking his still saliva covered neck, a remnant of their strenuous lovemaking of minutes before.

“We should skip this bit,” Loki said, flipping through the pages. “Is the majority of this going to be about his orgies?”

“He’s right about one thing. You are charming. And adorable. And I’m a very lucky man.”

“Tony…” Loki tilted his head back to gaze at him. “Thank you for putting up with me. I can be…difficult, at times.”

“Not for me.”

“I did throw you out a window, when we first met.”

“Yes, well that was years ago-“

“Attempted to take over the world-“

“That just makes you colourful.”

Loki’s ensuing laughter seeped through Tony’s ribcage to warm his heart.

“I love you, brown eyed one,” Loki said.

Tony kissed his lips. “Love you too. Go on, find me an interesting part in this plausible biography. I did particularly enjoy the part where he healed someone of their terminal illness.”

“What an incredible man the Grandmaster is,” Loki turned back to the book, lazily drawing one hand up and down Tony’s thigh, as Tony kissed across his shoulder. “Tony…”

Tony moved his head forward, to an impish look curling up Loki’s lips. His heart thudded hard against his chest wall.

“Do you remember yesterday, when those men laughed at us? Valkyrie had come in with that little creature and the men said we should be fighting in the arena, instead?”

“I like Valkyrie,” Tony said. “Has the ‘Don’t Give a Damn’ alcoholism that appeals to me.”

“She’s Asgardian,” Loki said.

“Really? How do you know?”

“I recognise her. She would recognise me but hasn’t been obvious. Or she doesn’t care.”

“Hm…” Tony mulled on this new information.

“I have an idea on what we should do with those men who laughed at us.”

“Ah yes? Go on…” Tony grinned.

*

“Terrible… terrible thing…” The bespecled humanoid shook his head. “Clownism, you say? I’ve never heard of such an illness!”

“Yes, only affects folk of a certain disposition,” Loki said, his brows furrowing, lips pouting.

Tony could no longer bear to maintain a straight face. He buried his grin in Loki’s shoulder, as Loki’s arm reached around, to rub his back.

News had travelled fast. In the morning, three Sakaar inhabitants had awoken to a peculiar face peering back at them, in the mirror; their skin was unnaturally white, eyes lined with bright red paint that refused to wash off, hair shortening (or lengthening) to bright red curls. A red bulb sat on the end of their nose. The area medical personnel were at a loss as to what to do, for the affliction. In the morning, they would awaken to their former appearance again, but, for now, Tony was enjoying the bafflement of those around him.

“Other symptoms include the overwhelming urge to tell jokes and honk their nose, as well as others and yell ‘Got your conk’,” Loki said.

This became too much for Tony, and he buried his face further into Loki’s chest, shaking with silent laughter.

“Oh dear, is your Tony unwell?”

“He’ll be alright,” soft lips kissed his forehead. “He’s… Tony!”

The urgency in Loki’s voice brought Tony’s head up. He followed Loki’s stricken expression, to a frazzled Thor, calling out from the same chair they had been tied to, upon arriving in Sakaar.

Tbc…


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all who are reading. Hoping for this to be a short one, finishing up in a chapter or two, just following the events of the film, but with a Tony twist :).

With an atypical frozen grin that didn’t match the surprise in his pale irises, Loki placed a gentle hand on Tony’s shoulder, intimating for him to stay seated, as he loped over to the constrained Thor, and knelt before him. As Tony focused on the two brothers, the noise of his admirers surrounding him faded. Both Loki and Thor spoke in whispers. Tony frowned, zeroing in on Loki’s lips. From his position on the couch, he couldn’t make out what his partner was saying. However, he knew him well enough to guess. No doubt, Loki was asking Thor what he was doing there. The well-manicured eyebrows of the Grandmaster, standing a metre beside Loki, furrowed.

“Why the whispers?”

“He is my brother!” Thor shouted with indignation. “And that man over there, Tony, is a dear friend.”

Figuring there was no point distancing himself from Thor any longer, Tony stood and came over, to position himself beside the now standing Loki.

“Adopted brother,” Loki said, continuing his genial smile. “And Tony and him barely know one another. They have not seen each other for many years.”

“I was over the Stark Tower the other week! We drank German beer and watched the movie ‘Inside Out’! Loki cried!” Thor argued.

“He’s lying,” Loki laughed. “I don’t ever cry.”

Tony and Thor caught eyes, before Tony’s flittered to the hexagonal patterns on the far wall.

As the credits had rolled on the Pixar movie, on Tony’s wall-sized movie screen, Tony had noticed the shaking hand on his thigh. Loki certainly didn’t have tears running down his face, as he gulped back sobs. He didn’t wipe his wet cheeks, refusing to succumb to Tony’s bemused attempts to comfort him. Furthermore, upon seeing his brother’s tears, Thor didn’t then mock tease him.

“Dearest Loki. Ever the sensitive one.”

None of these events happened, according to Loki.

Because he didn’t ever cry.

“A week ago, huh? Time works different in these worlds. In any other world I’d be millions of years old. But on this world…” The Grandmaster trailed off. “Is he any kind of fighter?”

“Take this off my neck and you’ll find out!” Thor shouted, pointing to the circular control disc attached to the side of his neck. “Tony, why aren’t you acknowledging me? And Loki, you are acting as though-“

“Hey, hey, back to me, Lord of Thunder!” The Grandmaster said.

“God of Thunder!” Thor shouted.

Tony bit his lip, to cease the amusement bubbling up inside him from frothing over into an obvious grin.

“Whatever,” The Grandmaster waved his hand. “Beat my champion in the arena tonight and freedom is yours.”

“Fine, then point me in the direction of whoever’s ass I have to kick!”

Tony and Loki grinned at each other. This was the Thor they knew and loved.

“Contender!” The Grandmaster smiled. “The direction would be this way, Lord,” he gestured towards the double doors behind Thor’s chair. “May you defeat my champion and return to Assberg.”

“Asgard!” Thor shouted, as his chair flew backwards. “Loki! Tony! Where am I being taken?”

Tony and Loki watched the chair glide along the ground, away from them, Tony’s stomach twisting into a fine knot.

_You’ll be fine, Thor. When we explain why we couldn’t talk to you, you’ll understand._

“Loki! Tony!” He reached the double doors at the end of the room, which were opened by the guards, before the chair, with the still struggling Thor pinned and trapped inside, disappeared out of view.

“This is going to be interesting tonight!” The Grandmaster winked at Loki.

Loki smiled back. “Tony and I have preparations to make. We want to look our best, for the fight.”

“Looks like it will be a good one,” the Grandmaster said, before clamping a hand on Loki’s shoulder. “You and your Tony will be given seats in the top box, with me.”

“Thank you, Grandmaster. That would, indeed, be a great honour.”

“My pleasure,” the Grandmaster winked again. Tony was thankful that the shudder through his viscera at the sight didn’t show in his outward appearance.

*

 “I couldn’t acknowledge him,” Loki said, as Tony stepped into their quarters behind him and locked the door.

“I know,” Tony said. “I was there too, remember, when that delightfully insane Grandmaster told us both he’d execute anyone who was close to you?”

Loki walked over to the Iron Man propped up on the wall beside the window, running his hands over the metal arms.

“Even without your earth materials, this is immaculate work, Tony. You are, indeed, a genius.”

“Lord of Thunder,” Tony giggled, walking up behind Loki and wrapping his hands around his waist. Loki laughed along with him.

“The expression on Thor’s face!”  Loki said.

Tony laughed louder and Loki turned around and kissed his lips. They released, Tony’s hair remaining in his partner’s thick black strands. With all of Loki’s crimes, as well as his own, karma should have dictated that they shouldn’t be so intensely in love with the other. Loki’s pale blue irises swam with such devotion, bordering on worship, that Tony should have questioned the ethics of their pairing.

_But then, I’m not ethical enough to care._

“Tell me you love me,” Tony begged.

He was aware of his own failings, one of which was an ego undermined by constant need for recognition. In this way, him and Loki were well suited.

“You love me,” Loki said.

“Hilarious, Loki. You are a true comedian to rival the greats. Now say ‘I love Tony.’”

Loki scraped a nail along Tony’s jaw, distributing sparks where it contacted with his bristles to other, interested areas of his person.

“I love Tony Stark, formerly of Stark Towers, now in Sakaar, standing before the supremist of demi-gods.”

“You just made yourself sound like a type of pizza.”

Loki’s brow furrowed. Even after two years of living together, they suffered from the occasional dialogue miscommunication. Two weeks before, Loki had made a joke about a ‘hafgufa’ that had sent Thor into spasms of laughter on the ground but merely left Tony puzzled.

“Oh yes, supreme pizza. Hideous tripe! I had forgotten that the first, and only bite I ever took of one, forced me to wash my mouth with literal soap, to cleanse my palate!” Loki said.

“I don’t mind the taste,” Tony shrugged. “None of that four cheeses ridiculousness for me. Pizza should contain at least ten different ingredients.”

“Yes, we can discuss your offensive taste in junk food later. Right now, I’d better go talk to Thor, explain my actions.”

“Do you know where he is?”

Loki nodded. “He’s being held in the dungeons under the stadium. I won’t go to him, of course but instead shall send a copy of myself. I have not visited such vile lodgings, as they would be, no doubt, disgusting.”

“No, wouldn’t want you to blemish that porcelain skin of yours,” Tony said, kissing his cheek.

Loki smirked. “I will go now.”

He kissed Tony’s lips and reclined on the bed, crossing his legs and bending his head, in meditation. Acknowledging that Loki would be out of action for a while, Tony took a screw out of the toolbox, on the ground nearby, and opened the chest plate of his Iron Man.

*

With a wrench between his teeth, Tony mumbled an ACDC tune, as he manually rewired the Iron Man’s left arm. Bar some minor tinkering, his invention was complete. He couldn’t wait to show Loki and earn more praise. A gasp issued behind him. Removing the tool from his mouth, Tony shoved it back into the toolbox and slammed the lid, as Loki stood up, frown marring his delicate features.

“He is refusing to speak to me.”

“Ah, the proverbial silent treatment! The bane of siblings the universe over… or so I’ve heard,” Tony said

“I explained our predicament. It is just and logical that he fight the champion. Thor will win, of that I have no doubt. Of course, I told him I’d bet against him. He was very much irritating me, at that stage.”

“Thor has been irritating you? Loki, you’re going to explode my brain, if you keep telling me such surprising statements,” Tony sat beside him and took his hand. “Don’t worry about Thor. He’ll be fine.”

“I am not concerned for Thor! I am concerned about _you_! Despite the Grandmaster’s sleaze, I am enjoying our reconnaissance here. The thought of leaving is becoming difficult. But you, dear Tony, you will not stay. The earth is your home.”

“I’m having fun here,” Tony admitted. “But if I stayed here, after a while, _I_ would be the one running out naked, Braveheart style, to defeat whatever the champion is, armed with a toothpick, to put myself out of my misery! Never thought I’d say this, but this place of constant partying and invites to orgies is starting to drain me. And that is an incredibly depressing thought.”

Soft lips kissed his ear.

“I will go wherever you wish, my Tony, do whatever you wish to do. If you do not wish to stay here, then we will not.”

Tony gazed into his blue eyes and saw no lie.

_What a crazy life I’ve led thus far, to lead to this moment; a mischievous, formerly genocidal demi-god allowing me to decide our fate, on a colourful planet ruled by an egoist even more arrogant than Loki and me combined._

“Right now, I want to kiss you on every inch of your beautiful body,” Tony trailed a hand down his stomach, to the organ already begging to be touched.

“Would you like help?” Loki said, and three more Lokis appeared beside him. “Or perhaps these three can perform other… tasks for you?”

“I’m sure I can come up with tasks for them to do to me, and to each other,” The corners of Tony’s lips quirked.

*

Tony believed himself to be a patriotic American, right down to the hot dog he received from the local vender down the road from his tower, to his love of the New York Yankees. Early on in their relationship, he had taken Loki to a game, where the demi-god had spent the entire time fidgeting, complaining, and stating the game would be more enjoyable if he could use his powers on the players, perhaps introduce a mythical element; in one scenario, as they ran from base to base, they would have to run through a fire breathing dragon. Tony had ordered him to go home. Loki had glared at him and then disappeared. After the game, in which the Yankees had won, a joyful Tony had returned to his tower, to a sulking demi-god. He then spent two hours convincing Loki he loved him more than his baseball.

Being the partner of a precious, insecure demi-god was trying, at times.

The home turf stadium of the Yankees had been injected with fresh money, courtesy of Tony, to expand the size, and fit more of a crowd in. Tony had been impressed by the eye-popping finished result.

That stadium from earth was an ant wandering around on a leaf, compared to the forest that was this one. Tony stepped out onto the balcony of their private viewing area, in front of the wide white couch and looked around, at the hundreds of thousands of seats, rising high into the night sky, the crowd consisting of tiny figures, that produced a cacophonous noise, throbbing his ear drums.

In the centre, as tall as his own tower, stood a holographic projection of the Grandmaster, welcoming the crowd, in his indominable fashion.

“That is something,” he said, grabbing Loki’s hand, before taking a swig of the cocktail in his other hand, that approximated a dry martini, on earth. “Remind me to steal that idea for a fifty-story high projection of myself, for my tower back on earth, to greet visitors.”

“This is going to be a long night,” Loki walked him back to the long white settee and sat both down on the far-left side. “Wish I could read a book but that would fall us out of favour with the Grandmaster.”

“I’m looking forward to this,” Tony admitted. Although he had been on the world for two weeks now, his brilliant mind still couldn’t fathom that the visual splendour it was exploring, was an alien world. He would have moments, in which he would spy an alien looking figure, such as the one standing behind them with the too ghostly pale complexion, or would come across a contraption too bizarre to be on earth, where he would be reminded of where he was, and an excited shiver would convulse his system.

“You alright, Tony?” Loki asked.

Tony nodded.

This night would be final, absolute proof, he was positive. Whatever beast came through those doors after Thor, would confirm he was no longer on earth.

Beside him, Loki sighed, his fingers twitching on the cocktail glass in his own hand.

“You may enjoy this,” Tony said.

“I doubt that.”

Tony kissed his ear and cheek. Loki’s twittery movements came from his fear for Thor, not that he would admit it, even on pain of Tony’s death. He grinned, flung an arm around Loki’s shoulders and leaned back in the chair, wondering what food was available. The planet's traditional kelsai dish, consisting of a spiced meat with coconut-tasting sauce, would be desirable.

The crowd grew into a frenzy and the doors leading to the centre of the stadium field opened. Thor was a tiny figure below them but even then, Tony noticed his shorter hair.

_I’m surprised they held him still long enough to do that. How many died, to give him that hair cut?_

The crowd’s noise became an ear-splitting roar and a large green figure charged out of the side of the stadium opposite Thor, taking the wall down with him, in a crumple of thick plaster and rocks. Tony’s heart stuttered.

“Bruce! It’s Bruce!”

The last time they had seen each other had been three months before, when Bruce had decided to leave earth again, for a ‘break’ after breaking up with Natasha.

“Hey, Loki-“ Tony began.

“I need to get off this planet!” Loki said, the blood draining from his already pale face, eyes widening.

Loki had seen Bruce plenty of times, in the two years they had been together. However, this was the first time he’d seen him as the Hulk, since the Battle of New York.

“Oh, come on, Loki!” Tony laughed, as Loki dropped his hand and rushed towards the purple exit doors. “Loki, this is silly!” He strode over to bring him back, when Loki ran straight into the Grandmaster, coming in the other side.

“Hey where are you going?”

“Nowhere…Drink, to get a drink.” Loki glanced down at the three-quarters full cocktail glass in his hand, and downed the entire liquid, in a move that impressed Tony. “I need another.”

“Thirsty, huh?” The Grandmaster asked. “There will be a cart coming in in five minutes Please, sit down.”

Tony placed his arm around Loki’s shoulder and lead him back to the settee, sitting them back down on the far-left side. He noted Loki’s tremble, beneath his arm.

“Loki, you’ve seen Bruce at least once a week-“

“He’s never changed into _that_ in those times,” Loki said. His eyes hadn’t relaxed from their startled too-big-for-his-face look.

“The fight of the century is going down before us and you tried to run from it!”

“Do shut up!” Loki snapped. Tony laughed, resting his head on Loki’s shoulder.

“You’re safe here. Not sure about Thor, though. This will be an interesting fight.”

Tony soon discovered that interesting was an understatement. Upon realising who his competitor was, Thor referred to Hulk as ‘A friend from work’. With a well-placed punch, Hulk vehemently disagreed with that statement. Anyone else would have been destroyed, but Thor held on.

The fight was intense, bloody and visually thrilling. Along with the crowd, Tony oohed and aahed at each punch and throw, the fight meeting its climax as both Thor and Hulk sprang up into the air and met in the middle, Thor punching Hulk back into the sidelines, where he slid along the interior walls, bringing down a chunk of the stadium upon himself.

Loki remained silent beside him, his anxiety and fear for Thor etched in his refined features. The only time he did speak, was when the Hulk lifted Thor and slammed him repeatedly on the ground. Loki stood up and shouted.

“Yes! That’s how it feels!” Before sitting down, and murmuring, to the astonished Grandmaster, “I’m just a really big fan of the sport.”

“Feeling better?” Tony asked, taking his hand.

“Yes, I am, thank you, Tony,” Loki rested his head on Tony’s shoulder.

In the fight, Thor was flinging Hulk around again. The crowd now chanted Thor’s name. Incensed, the Grandmaster pressed a button on the remote beside him. Thor fell to the ground, convulsing.

“Nifty device, delivers volts of electricity to the victim, through a device implanted into his neck. Good for keeping them loyal,’ the Grandmaster explained as, on the ground, Hulk rose up and came down towards Thor, to give him a body slam, of earth shattering proportions. Thor’s arm rose up to meet him, followed by his entire body, connecting with Hulk’s nose, before falling down again. Hulk skidded forward onto his front and was still.

The crowd fell silent.

“Well, I guess we’ll call that a draw,” the Grandmaster shrugged.

*

 “No, Tony,” Loki said.

Standing opposite him, Tony folded his arms.

“Bruce is gone. He’s the Hulk now,” Loki reached out, unfolded Tony’s arms and kissed his right palm.

“I need to see him,” Tony insisted.

“Go to them, if you must,” Loki flung Tony’s hand away. “But you will be going to visit that green monster, not Bruce.”

“You heard what the Grandmaster said! He’s put Thor in the same room as Bruce! They’re probably pummelling each other right now! Which annoys me I’m not there to see it.”

Loki scowled.

“Go on, then. Go to them! Go be with that green freak!”

Tony mentally counted to three, running a hand through his hair.

“Don’t do this, Loki. How many times do we have to go through this? You deserved Hulk’s pummelling, in the Battle of New York. Killing a bunch of humans while trying to take over the world? Sound familiar? You’ve come a long way with making amends. Don’t mess it up now.”

Loki’s scowl was so wide, his entire face collapsed, aging him by a good fifty human years.

“Go to them,” he whispered.

Not wishing to deal with Loki when he was in such a stubborn mood, Tony turned towards the door.

“Wait!” Loki slunk towards him. His face was unlined once more, eyes shining with wanton lust. “You don’t need to go right now. I want you. Right now.”

Tony shrugged, and drew him into his arms. Thor and Bruce could wait. Attending to Loki’s needs took precedent.

*

“Loki…” Tony groaned, thrusting into his pliable, warm body, as he kissed his neck. As a demi-god, Loki’s flesh was unlike a human’s, silken and yet so firm that it was difficult to pierce with any earth instruments, not that Tony would ever damage such loveliness. He once told Tony he was stronger than him, to the extent that if he wished to, he could easily demolish any of Tony’s bones, with the merest pressure. His hair was an unusual texture, softer than even silk; running liquid through his hands. Loki’s body, his legs around his neck, torso against him with each slap of their bodies together, were scorching to the touch.

Tony allowed the build up to the ultimate culmination, groaning-

“Panther!”

Upon Loki using their safe word, Tony stopped moving, before gently pulling out. He suspected Loki, who had been the seducer this time, had deliberately built up to this moment, to punish Tony for their former argument concerning Hulk. Regardless, Loki had said the safe word, so he stopped.

“If you wish to, masturbate yourself to orgasm,” Loki said, rolling over away from him.

It was true, then. Loki was punishing him. Tony jerked himself twice and groaned as he came all over his stomach, before enfolding his arm around Loki’s chest, kissing his shoulder and burying his face in his hair.

“Loki…”

“You do not care for my fear… That creature, who is not Bruce, almost killed me and you do not care.”

“He almost killed Thor too in the exact same way,” Tony pointed out. “And you didn’t seem too worried.”

“I do not like Hulk, I want nothing to do with him. But, as he is your friend, you will risk your life and mine to see him.”

Tony grabbed him by the shoulders and turned him over, so he rested on his chest. In an attempt to remedy the stiffness of his shoulders Tony massaged the area, digging his finger pads into the tense muscles.

“I can get Bruce back. Loki, I’m not going to embarrass myself by reminding you how irritatingly in love with you I am and that I would never hurt you. I don’t go for sappy…Damn it, that’s not true. I did weep like a baby when I first saw ‘Sleepless in Seattle.’”

Loki melding into his chest and trailing a hand down his hip, was proof to him that Loki was now content.

“Having Bruce here is an advantage, Loki. He’ll help us,” Tony said, trailing his hands through his liquid hair.

“It’s not Bruce. It’s the monster.”

“I worked with Hulk. Me and Thor. We can handle him, Loki. Yes, he did try and pummel me a few times. I had to build a special suit to contain him.”

Loki responded with a grunt.

“You’re so cute when you’re grumpy…” Tony said, kissing his hair and lifting his head to pepper kisses over his face.

Loki moaned and responded with his own kisses along Tony’s jaw, before cupping the fragile mandible within his hands. Light freckles splayed across his nose and the tint of green was clear in his blue irises. Aspects of his lover that filled Tony with childlike delight.

“I am sorry you have been dragged into this. This place. The whole Hela situation,” Loki said.

“I’m with you, beautiful. Wherever you go, I go.”

*

Tony resisted the urge to stay in the comfortable bed, with his warm and sensual Loki beside him, but his curiosity, in regards to Bruce, forced him to shove the covers on his side back and clamber out of bed. Instant cool air sent goose-bumps along his naked flesh. He redressed into the clothes they’d thrown onto the floor pre-lovemaking and bent down to Loki.

“Beautiful?” He shook Loki’s shoulder.

Loki moaned. “Tony…”

“I am going to go to Thor and Bruce.”

“Mm…”

“Be back soon,” he said, kissing his jaw.

*

A surprising injury free Thor opened the door, to Tony’s knock.

“Tony! Where is Loki? How did you know where we were?” He said, opening the door further, to allow Tony to step through. Hulk sat on a skull shaped bed… not skull shaped Tony realised, an actual skull. He would later have to ask Thor what animal the skull used to belong to.

“I found Valkyrie, who was happy to-“

“Tony!” Hulk said.

Tony jumped, startled.

“He can talk now? Of course he can.”

“He talked during the fight!” Thor said.

“Did he? I was a bit distracted,” Tony wasn’t going to tell Thor that Loki’s anxiety was the reason why.

“Yes, Loki is always such a welcome distraction for you,” Thor said, grinning and whacking Tony on the back hard enough to send him forward a few paces.

“Why Tony here?” Hulk asked.

“He’s a complete brat,” Thor whispered. “I dearly wish Bruce would reappear, instead of the monster.”

“Why Tony not talk to Hulk?” Hulk said, standing up with such relish the bed, and ground, shook.

“Tell him you prefer Hulk,” Thor whispered.

_So, talking Hulk is as much of a prima donna as myself and Loki? Tony… the company you keep…_

“Why would I prefer Bruce?” Tony asked, venturing further into the room.

“Bruce Tony’s friend. No one likes Hulk.”

So, Loki was right. Hulk didn’t wish to return to his Bruce state.

“This is turning out to be a weird day,” Tony admitted.

“I’ve been trying unsuccessfully to convince him to return with me to Asgard,” Thor said. “We can use your quinjet. Hulk tells me he arrived here in it.”

“Sounds an excellent idea!” Tony said, his eyes not leaving Hulk’s massive green form. Now he was standing, with nothing but a towel around his privates, he was curious as to what was behind it. “If I wasn’t using the parts for my new Iron Man.”

“You are creating an Iron Man here?” Thor asked.

“To help in the eventual kick ass fight of Asgard.”

Thor’s handsome face lit up in a smile. “Yes, it will be ‘kick ass’ won’t it? We need to convince Hulk of that.”

“Hulk no fight. Only in match as champion.”

“See? Idiot,” Thor whispered into Hulk’s ear.

Tony agreed. Hulk was idiotic as Tony had always presumed him to be.

“I have an idea,” Thor said. “Watch what happens, when Valkyrie comes into the room.”

“Valkyrie Hulk’s friend,” Hulk said.

On cue, the woman came into the room with her usual swagger, without bothering to knock.

“All ready, tough guy?” She asked Hulk.

The action of the next three minutes occurred in a flash. Thor disabled Valkyrie and removed the implant from his neck, before grabbing Tony and throwing both out of the window. Without his Iron Man suit as a cushion, Tony regretted not reminding the demi-god he was flesh and blood and far more breakable. He was also regretting leaving Loki sleeping and perfectly adorable.

_It’s going to be pretty embarrassing, coming back to Loki as a ghost, explaining to him I died because Thor threw me out of a window in an ill-advised escape attempt._

However, Thor slowed them down, before they hit the ground, and he landed with nary a bruise on him.

“I told you, Thor! It’s not worth it-“ Tony shouted, running to catch up to Thor, who sprinted a good ten metres ahead.

“Tony, we may be able to-“ Thor called back.

“I’m not leaving with you. Not without Loki!”

“Fine, then, we shall grab Loki and-“ Thor ceased running and turned back to Tony.

A roar sounded behind them.

“Thor want to leave! Tony loves Bruce more!” Hulk’s voice sounded. The earth trembled with his pounding footsteps.

Tony looked over Thor’s shoulder, to a flash of green streaking towards them, unmindful of the inhabitants and market stalls thrown around him, in his haste.

“I have an idea!” Tony said, rushing towards his abandoned jet and overtaking Thor.

“You said it wasn’t working!” Thor shouted.

“It isn’t!” Tony shouted back.

They skirted around the carcass of a rusted circular space ship, to the quinjet in front. Tony sprinted up the ramp, to the interior, with Thor behind, as the rampaging Hulk again roared, ripping what was left of the ceiling off the jet, sending sparks, wiring and metal out into the dirty street. Tony located the last recording in the main console and switched it on.

As he predicted, Hulk’s rampage ceased, the moment the sweet voice of his Natasha issued through the console’s speakers. Tony and Thor crept back, allowing Hulk to sit in front of the screen, displaying Natasha’s pretty features, as she calmed him. His body shrivelled, skin turning a more human pink colour. Within less than a minute, naked Bruce now lay before them.

“So, thanks to my genius, Bruce is back again,” Tony said. “You can thank me later, Thor.”

“Where am I?” Bruce asked. “Tony? Thor? Last I remember I was flying into outer space.”

“We’re on a sexy planet called Sakaar… with a not-so-sexy Grandmaster who everyone worships,” Tony said.

Thor shot him a disgruntled look.

“Alright, maybe some people may consider the Grandmaster to be sexy…”

“Why am I naked?” Bruce asked, staring down at his body.

“There are clothes in the back. Impeccably tailored. Mine, of course,” Tony said.

As Bruce, covering his modesty, rummaged around for something to wear, he spoke.

“Why are you here, Tony?”

“It’s a fascinating story. Allow me the time to do the telling of it justice?”

“Where’s Loki?” Bruce asked, shoving trousers on and zipping them up.

“I left my lovely and naughty little demi-god asleep and satisfied in our rooms.”

“You’ve been _living_ here? All three of you?” Bruce said.

“Loki’s going to be annoyed, when he wakes up to find me gone,” Tony said.

A voice sounded around them, imbuing the tense air with its grandeur.

“The Lord of Thunder has escaped with our champion. A reward will be offered to any who capture them… dead or alive.”

“Well that was not… unexpected…” Tony said.

“Champion? Lord of Thunder? What is going on?” Bruce asked, buttoning up a shirt.

“Go, Tony! It’s dangerous to be seen with us!” Thor said. “We will come to your rooms once it is safe and work out a plan.”

“Are you sure?”

“Go, Tony! I have caused you enough trouble for today, as it is!”

Tony bit his lower lip, debating what was the best course of action.

_Loki. You must get back to Loki, explain what’s happening._

“It’s great to see you again Bruce,” Tony said, placing a hand on the confused man’s shoulder. “Thor, you can explain.”

*

After returning to his chambers, following the Grandmaster’s citywide search for Thor and Bruce, Tony was unsurprised to find the room empty. Deciding he couldn’t be far, Thor stepped back into the corridor and made his way back towards the throne room, where Loki often held court.

He was half-way up the second hall, when he spied a familiar motley crew coming up the other side.

“If you’re looking for Loki, come with me,” Valkyrie said, with a still perplexed Bruce, and frowning Thor in tow.

*

_Ah… there he is._

Loki, customarily unruffled despite the situation, sat in the centre of Valkyrie’s bedroom, tied to a chair.

“Surprise!” he said.

Thor threw a can at his head. It rebounded off.

“Ow!” Loki said.

“Just checking,” Thor growled.

“Hello Bruce,” Loki said, as the three men and one woman entered the room. Valkyrie went straight to the minibar, which increased Tony’s esteem of her.

“Loki? Maybe you can tell me what’s going on? Thor has been vague. And Valkyrie…Again, you look so familiar to me…” Bruce said.

At the bar, Valkyrie was downing a shot of a virulent green substance. Catching Tony watching, she grinned.

“Seventy percent pure. I would share but this cost me one week’s pay.”

“Let me guess, Tony you visited the monster, and brought Bruce back,” Loki diverted Tony’s attention back to himself. “I am displeased with you for leaving me this morning.”

“What is he talking about?” Bruce asked. “When did _he_ come out?”

Tony crossed the room and eased down on Loki's lap, running his hands all over his chest. “Look at you, all tied up and at my mercy.”

“Leave me be, Tony, I’m moping.”

“A lot of that going around,” Thor murmured.

Tony undid Loki’s binds. “And why are you tied up? Let me guess, you went against Valkyrie to capture Thor and Bruce, and she overpowered you.”

“Something like that,” Loki’s brow creased.

“ _Exactly_ like that,” Valkyrie said, swigging from a flask.

“You failed to wake me!” Loki said. “I awoke to an empty bed and the Grandmaster announcing Thor and… Bruce had escaped!”

“I’m sorry,” Tony said. “But you know me. That’s always what I was going to do.”

Loki’s lower lip pouted in the cutest fashion. Unable to resist, Tony kissed his lips, followed by his ear, whispering into it.

“Love my Loki.”

“I’ve had a terrible morning,” Loki said.

“Aw, isn’t that, indeed, terrible?” Tony went to move off him, only to be grabbed by the collar and pulled into a satisfying wet kiss.

“That will start to make it better,” Loki grinned, stood and placed an arm around Tony’s waist. “What do we do now?”

Tbc…


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, just a short fic this one.  
> Thanks to all who have read and liked! :)

“How many died until you were forced to consent to that horrendous haircut?” Loki asked, trotting down the grand corridor alongside Thor, with Tony on his other side.

“They had placed the control device in my neck, remember?” Thor’s impressive biceps clenched, as a vein throbbed in his temple.

“ _No one_ died? Oh, you poor poor thing. Allow me to commiserate with you,” Loki said.

The raven strands of Loki’s hair then inched up, from below his shoulders, the length disappearing, as the hair shortened, the tangled waves becoming loopy curls.

“You don’t have to,” Thor said.

“In commiseration to your lost hair,” Loki grinned, before turning to Tony and swishing his shorter hair. The curling strands now reached the top of his neck and flattered his elegant facial features.

“You’ve managed to achieve the impossible, Loki,” Tony said. “You’ve managed to make yourself look even more striking. If you weren’t my beloved, I would be _irritated_ by you.”

Loki laughed. “Thank you, Tony.”

A wry grin uplifted Thor’s lips.

“Fortunate all three of us survived here,” Thor said.

“Especially with the Grandmaster. Has a crush on Loki… Not that I blame him,” Tony said.

“I’m surprised he sees beyond himself,” Thor said.

“I fit into whatever fantasy he’s constructed, regardless of whether I want to,” Loki shuddered.

In response, Tony buried his face in his raven curls, clutching his hip.

_Loki is mine. The Grandmaster can look but he will never touch._

“I am apprehensive to consider where Loki would be, if it weren’t for you, Tony,” Thor said, whacking Loki on the back, in a brotherly gesture.

“Isn’t it interesting that I am right here?” Loki said.

“You have a tempering effect on him,” Thor continued to make eye-contact with Tony.

“Again, I am right beside you,” Loki said.

“I don’t think so,” Tony said. “If anything, we egg each other on.”

“Your mischievousness together cannot be disputed,” Thor agreed. “But Loki’s former callousness, jealousy and fury have departed with you, to be replaced with the sweet brother I knew as a child. Moreover, a man I am proud to know.”

“Should I make myself invisible, to make it easier to have this conversation you are having, as though I am not here?” Loki grumbled.

Tony placed an arm around Loki’s waist. “I admit, I am incredibly awesome. You’ve got that spot on.”

“I agree,” Loki said.

Thor laughed. “Ah Loki,” he pinched his brother’s cheek.

“Stop that!” Loki slapped his hand away.

“There was a time in which I considered we could not be brothers, in which the outcome would be that we live separate lives, to not see each other again. That time is no more.”

Loki’s eyes sparkled, his cheeks glowing with powerful emotion. For a moment, Tony was sure that Loki was too overcome to answer.

“As much as your knuckleheaded nature is charming, but also tiresome, I cannot see that happening. Even at our most antagonistic, we never accepted that it would be the end, for our relationship,” Loki said.

“Knuckleheaded?” Thor’s cheeks tinged with red and his fiery blue eyes snapped towards Tony.

“Do you really think I would use the word knuckleheaded?” Tony asked. “I can come up with better insults than that!”

“Ah, Thor. My brother!” Loki pulled him into a fierce embrace. Thor’s initial surprise melded to warmth, as he hugged back with equal need. They disentangled and Loki’s arm went around Tony’s waist, once more, pressing a hard object into Tony’s back pocket, before giving his rump a pat.

“Let’s do ‘Get help’,” Thor said.

“We are not doing get help,” Loki folded his arms.

“Oh, come on, you love it,” Thor said.

“It’s humiliating!”

“What’s ‘Get Help’?” Tony asked, intrigued by the tension in Loki’s expression.

Thor’s grin grew so wide all of his white straight teeth showed. “You’ll see. Just play along.”

*  
“Get help!” Thor shouted, dragging a slumped Loki through the double doors, to the confusion of the henchmen on the other side. “Please, my brother his hurt!”

He threw Loki at the henchmen and he collided into them in the same fashion as a bowling ball, slamming all five to the ground and knocking them out.

“Strike!” Tony said and laughed.

“That was humiliating!” Loki stood, as Tony and Thor joined him.

“That was fantastic!” Tony and Thor bumped fists.

“Next time you be the ‘bowling ball’,” Loki sneered.

“Be happy to,” Tony replied. “Though it’s more amusing to watch, I must say.”

Loki pouted in such a cute fashion that it took all of Tony’s will to not kiss him all over his scowling face. Instead, he focused on Thor.

“The plan is to use the revolution of the slaves as a distraction for the Grandmaster, right? Not a great plan,” Tony said.

“You always say that,” Loki murmured, as they collected the weapons of the downed henchmen.

“It will give the Grandmaster _more_ impetus to be angry and kick our asses. Yep, not a great plan. But, who cares? This is going to be _fuuuuun_!”

They reached another set of doors and flung them open, to a second set of henchmen, facing away from them.

“Hi there!” Thor shouted.

“Hello!” Loki said.

“Heya!” Tony said.

As the henchmen turned, bearing identical expressions of shocked confusion, Tony, Loki and Thor fired on them. Tony was surprised how little kickback the weapon gave.

“Well, that was disturbingly easy,” Tony said, and they continued forward, stepping over the bodies. “I wish they’d make it a little more interesting for us.”

They reached a plateau, in which the ground levelled off, in two directions. Tony noticed a second Loki break away from the first and move around the edge of the circular walkway. Thor sighed and reached in his pockets.

“Looking for the remote?” Loki asked. “Tony, can you take this off my back?”

Tony dug around in his back pocket and withdrew the remote, glancing at Loki’s back, to reveal the circular controller. Frowning, he zapped it back to the remote.

“You were about to betray us,” Thor said, shifting from foot to foot, in an uneasy motion. “I saw the second Loki depart from the first.”

“You placed the Grandmaster’s controller on my back when you were embracing me?”

“Before,” Thor at least had the dignity to flush.

“Ah when you slapped me on the back, in a false display of brotherly affection.”

“It wasn’t false…” Thor sighed, ran a hand through his short hair, moving it down further, before realising he was snatching at air, where the hair used to be, and hanging his hand loose at his side.

“You don’t trust me?” Loki asked.

“I had to be certain… just in case… You are, after all, the demi-god of mischief.”

Loki laughed. “I am always three steps in front of you, Thor. I saw this betrayal coming. A betrayal of my false betrayal.”

“I’m sorry,” Thor looked down to his feet.

“Think nothing of it,” Loki said, as the second Loki re-joined the first, to become whole again. “I was testing you. As always, you fell prey to my mischief. I had no desire to betray you, Thor. However, I do not plan to escape Asgard with you.”

“What do you mean?” Thor's ocean blue eyes widened.

“Yes, what do you mean?” Tony asked, swinging around to face him.

“Take the Grandmaster’s ship. I will come later, with the escaped prisoners. I have a plan to visit the Grandmaster, slow him down. Give you a chance to escape.”

“Are you sure about this?” Thor asked.

Loki nodded.

Thor’s embrace now was so tight, his arm muscles trembled. “Be safe, Loki.” They released. “You too, Tony. I will see you both on Asgard.”

“Be safe, Thor,” Loki said.

Thor walked away from them with his usual macho stealth.

_There goes a man of action._

Tony’s grin was interrupted, as Loki grabbed him roughly by the chin and smashed their lips together, tongue ferocious in gaining entry.

“Loki, do you think this is the time for this?” Tony asked, as his partner sucked his neck, teeth digging into his skin, hands unzipping his trousers.

In response, Loki pushed him down onto the ground, the clothes peeling off himself. As soon as he gazed upon the pale, lithe body, a specific part of Tony’s body rose to attention. Loki pulled his trousers down and crawled over Tony, pressing their torsos together, as he once again swirled his tongue in his mouth. He grabbed Tony’s erection and tugged in the rhythm that Tony loved. In response, Tony tugged at Loki’s, hooking his leg around his waist, as his passions soared. Within less than a minute, he was sent flying over into the abyss of pleasure, coming over Loki’s stomach, as Loki’s own, cooler release splashed over his own.

Panting, Loki pulled up Tony’s underwear and jeans and buttoned them up, before his clothes reappeared on his own body. Both stood and grinned at each other.

“Grandmaster,” Loki said.

*

If Tony was ruling a planet in which a revolution was taking place, he would be in the streets, martialling supporters to his side. He wouldn’t be sitting on his throne, sampling eel-type creatures coated in a viscous green substance.

“Ah, Loki!” As the demi-god and Tony approached, the Grandmaster waved to the waiter bearing the plate, who rushed away. “Any luck with finding my two champions?”

Loki came further forward.

“You’ve cut your hair! Looks good. Suits you,” the Grandmaster said.

“Can we speak to you? Alone?”

The Grandmaster nodded at the half a dozen people lounging in the room, as well as guards by the door. Tony looked around, thankful Topaz was not to be located. She would have seen through their plan, he was certain.

Loki now stood in front of the Grandmaster.

“Yes, Loki?”

Slowly, he sank down to one knee, placing a hand on the alien’s knee.

“What’s this about?” The Grandmaster asked.

“What’s it about?” Loki ran a hand up and down the eccentric alien’s trousers. From where Tony stood, two metres back, he noted the bulge in his crotch. “Should we go to your rooms, Tony and I?”

“Changed your mind, have you?” The Grandmaster asked, smirking. “Knew you couldn’t resist me.”

Loki reached under his thigh and squeezed, before standing. The Grandmaster likewise stood.

“Lead the way,” Loki smirked.

The Grandmaster leaned forward, closing his eyelids, as though for a kiss. Loki placed a hand on his lips.

“Not until we reach the room. Lead on.”

As the Grandmaster walked in front of Loki and Tony, Loki recognised the circular control device Loki had stuck to the back of the Grandmaster’s thigh.

“Grandmaster!” Loki said, taking the remote out of Tony’s pocket and hiding it behind his back. “What is that stuck to the back of your thigh?”

The Grandmaster frowned, turned his head and looked down. Loki pressed the button on the remote, causing the alien to fall down to the ground, convulsing. Tony recalled the arrogant alien's sleazy remarks towards Loki.

_I should feel bad for the Grandmaster but somehow... don't..._

Loki handed the remote back to Tony behind his back and rushed back to the twitching alien.

“Who would do this? Where is the remote? Don’t worry, I will find it and release you!” Loki indicated to Tony and both rushed out of the room, with the remote in hand.

“What do we do with this?” Tony asked.

Loki grabbed it out of his hand and chucked it aside. It hit the wall next to the double doors and then ground with a clunk.

“Someone will find this and the Grandmaster and put two and two together. At least I hope.”

They reached a t-intersection and turned left down the following corridor, to the two guards conferring together and laughing.

“Help the Grandmaster!” Loki shouted. “Something is wrong! We will try find someone to help!”

Loki’s acting was so supreme that on earth, with those three lines alone, Tony was certain he would have won an Oscar. The guards jumped and rushed into the room, as Loki and Tony continued to walk the other way.

“I considered telling him we were the ones who were betraying him but decided against it. He is clearly an ancient being. Best to stay on his good side,” Loki said, slowing down, once they were a good three corridors down from the throne room.

Tony shook his head, giggles erupting from his throat. “Loki…That was beautiful! You missed your calling. You should have been an actor!”

“Those humans who pretend to be others? Why would I want such a humiliating position in society?”

“You have plays in Asgard.”

“We do. When I was under the guise of Odin, I would often hold them, to show stories of my glory, tales of the sacrifice and majesty that is myself. Only the best performers were chosen for the privilege.”

“I’m sure you did,” Tony said, gazing at Loki with the usual wonder. This would be what he would do, were he the leader of earth. For not the first time in their relationship, it hit him how similar he and Loki were to each other.

_Could I love this mischief-maker any more than I already do? It doesn’t seem possible!_

He leant over and captured Loki’s soft dry lips with his own. They pulled apart, Tony’s hand trailing down his high cheekbone.

“It’s _annoying_  how in love I am with you,” he said.

Loki grabbed his hand, eyes alight with mischief. “And you, Tony. These next few hours are going to be fun.”

They ran back to the docking ship bay, where they had left Thor, to discover a dozen aliens milling around the concourse and looking around, as though eager for an excuse to cause havoc.

“My loyal comrades!” Loki came up to them, hands outstretched. “You look as though you need two benevolent leaders.”

“Sounds good,” said the soft-spoken blue rock man in front. “My name is Korg. What’s yours?”

“Loki,” Loki said. “And this, here is Tony.”

“Hi Loki, Hi Tony. This here is Miek,” he pointed at the metal armour plated insectoid creature beside him. “We were thinking of stealing a ship and getting off this planet.”

“A wise choice,” Loki said.

“There’s one in the Grandmaster’s garage. Will fit all of us on.”

“Lead the way,” Loki said.

“Yeah, been wanting to start a rebellion for so long,” Korg said, as he walked around the rampway, to a series of ships on either side of the walkway begging to be stolen. “The letter writing campaign didn’t go so well…”

“Ah, they never do,” Loki said. “Never mind, my rock friend. I will take you to my fair world, which is lush and full of all that you would wish to eat.”

“I don’t eat much,” Korg said, as they stopped and stood in front of a clunky spaceship that appeared to be held together with frantic good will.  “Mainly more rocks.”

Tony giggled and rubbed his hands together.

“This ship is great!”

They boarded the ramp and Tony stepped inside, peering around at the corroded, dull metallic interior. For the Grandmaster, he would have expected a ship of more pristine lines, not this rust bucket. Coming up to the controls, he tried the red and green flashing buttons, frowned and knelt down, pulling out wires and plugging them into other transformers littered on the ground under the console, before rising to the panel again and twirling dials.

“I can fly this thing,” Korg said.

“I will assign you that task, as your benevolent leader!” Loki said.

“Don’t close the ramp door yet,” Tony said, his tongue stuck out in his concentration. “I’m refiguring the radio patterns. I’m hoping this will work…” He stood and wiped his hands on his pants, of the grease that covered the controls. “Give it a few seconds…”

No one moved. Time stretched out.

“Give it a few more seconds.”

Nothing continued to happen. Loki raised a brow.

“Give it even more-“

The Iron Man suit from their rooms flew in through the ship's entrance and hit Tony, slamming him backwards into Miek, before assembling itself around him. The headgear went on last.

“That looks cool, bro,” Korg said, now starting up the engine of the ship. “Is that your ceremonial battle gear?”

“Yes, it is!” Tony said, pressing the button on the neck, to open the headgear. The headgear didn’t move. He pressed it again. Groaning, he slammed his head into the side of the ship. The headgear came down.

“We go into the anus!” Loki pointed ahead, at the bright red funnel before them. Tony giggled.

“Tony, your sense of humour is far more developed than that.”

“I have never seen you say the word anus before. And going into one.” Tony laughed.

Loki rolled his eyes. “Childish.”

Tony walked over and planted a firm kiss on his mouth. “Your child.”

The ship rose into the air and proceeded towards the funnel.

“We will make a new home in our world! One of great beauty,” Loki said, as the ship rocketed forward. “One of great wonder!” The ship entered the funnel. “One of-“

Tony screamed, as the ship flew up into the funnel, his skin peeling from his face, innards turned inside out, brain swished around and up and down and inside out. He groped for Loki, who gripped his hand back with brutal strength.

The ship exited the funnel, to reveal a level of devastation that caused all in the ship to gasp. Tony had been in Asgard before but had never seen it from the outside. Furthermore, had never seen it in flames, the beautiful golden buildings crashing down. Dozens of Asgardians stood on the Rainbow Bridge, caught between a creature that made Tony freeze in disbelief  _(okay, yep that is definitely what I think it is_ ); a giant wolf, and an army bearing down on the other side. As they watched, Hulk roared, stood up and wrestled with the wolf. Without needing to be told, Korg flew the ship low and Loki pulled open the door, proclaiming.

“Asgard, your saviour is here!”

Despite the carnage around them, Tony smiled ( _yep, Loki just being Loki_ ) and shook his head, stepping back, as the Asgardians boarded the ship. Loki and Tony caught eyes and without words, spoke what they were going to do.

Both jumped off the ship. Tony pressed the button to his helmet. After the third try, it closed, before he powered his boots and flew through the opposing army, using the rocket powered boosters in his hands to deliver lethal blows to those attempting to stop the Asgardians from boarding. Loki, he saw below him, displaying his lethal combination of knifework and his supple, athletic body, to dispatch the warriors.

With the army’s warriors now dispatched, Tony joined Loki on the bridge, to stand beside Valkyrie, Hulk and Thor.

“You lost an eye!” Loki exclaimed.

Tony looked Thor in the face and gasped. Where his blue eye used to be was now a gaping hole. The blond adonis, who was considered the handsomest member of the Avengers by many (though Tony always disagreed, citing himself as the winner in that department, followed by Bucky or Steve) had lost his beauty and half his vision.

“It’s a long story,” Thor said. 

Before them, Hela slinked up the bridge, not bothering to run, knowing their death was imminent.

“What do we do now?” Valkyrie asked.

“You are the God of Lightning… or rather Lord of Lightning,” Loki smirked at Thor.

“I hit her with everything I had. It didn’t work!” Thor said.

“The Ragnarok prophecy…” Loki said, turning to face his brother, his face flushed pink. “Thor, we can’t stop it. It must be fulfilled, understand?”

Tony and Hulk glanced at each other, as the brothers stared into each other’s eyes, an unspoken understanding passed between them.

“Surtur,” Thor said. “He can beat Hela.”

“He’s the only one who can. Asgard is lost, Thor,” Loki said.

“You go. We’ll try hold Hela off.”

Loki gripped Tony around the waist and kissed him with electric passion. “Tony, I love you. You are my everything-“

“Woh! Woh! Why are you talking as though this is the third act of a tragic Shakespeare play? Whatever your plan is, I’m coming with you.”

Loki’s smile could have solved earth’s climate change crisis all on its own.

“We go into the basement of the palace, find Surtur’s horns and throw them into the eternal flame.”

“I have no idea what that means… But okay…”

“If you can fly us there, we will get there faster.”

“Hop onto my back,” Tony said.

As Loki mounted him, Tony considered he preferred Loki to mount him in a more intimate setting, without his Iron Man suit on, about to cause the Asgardian apocalypse. He powered his feet rockets and flew forward through the air, Loki’s arm tight around his neck, as he hurried toward the desecrated palace, the ruin made worse by the hints of its former beauty, in the artistry of its architecture and vivid colours. 

_Keep moving. Keep focusing on the task._

Loki directed him through the hallowed halls, that had, in his last visit, amazed Tony with their grand scale, and many tapestries and other sculptures detailing Asgard's bloody history. Now, the tapestries were torn,  the sculptures smashed to rubble on the cracked floor.

"You must keep moving, Tony. There is not much time."

They moved further downwards, into the bowels of the planet, where the light grew dimmer, the walls more narrow around them.

"Stop here!" Loki ordered.

Tony powered down and landed on the cool gritty ground and Loki slid off his back.

“This way!” He ordered Tony, rushing through the underground structure, before stopping so suddenly Tony ran into his back. Tony followed his gaze, to the shiny blue object in a glass case before them.

“Loki, Hela is about to destroy everyone, remember?”

“Of course, Tony,” Loki said, loping forward, grabbing the tesseract off the holder and handing it to Tony. “Hide this somewhere, would you?”

“You’re incorrigible,” Tony placed the invaluable object into a metallic compartment of the leg of his Iron Man.

“That’s why you love me,” Loki kissed Tony on his lips. “It’s important to keep it safe.”

“And to use it to your advantage.”

“Maybe…”

Loki continued down the corridor, to what appeared to Tony to be a cow’s skull, in a glass case. Tony frowned, squinted and walked around the case, trying to decipher if it could look more impressive from another angle. 

“I throw this into the flame and we get out of here, fast.”

“This Surtur doesn’t look like much…” Tony bit his bottom lip, as Loki lifted the skull and walked over to a burning flame, metres to his left.

_So, keeping the eternal flame close to the horns of the creature that can destroy Asgard, by throwing said horns into the flame? Who designed this underground chamber of fun Asgardian artefacts?_

“You ready to leave?”

Tony nodded. Loki lifted the skull and threw it into the fire, before jumping onto Tony’s back. Tony flew up into the air, urging the suit to move faster, as flames licked at their feet, as the building shook, chunks of the ceiling falling down and slamming into the Iron Man suit.

“Loki!” Tony shouted

“I’m alright, keep going!”

They continued down the corridor and out into the fresh air, billowing smoke blasting into their faces. Tony urged himself forward, not looking back, heading towards the ship of now Asgardian refugees, away from the destruction of Asgard, not wanting to consider the implications of what they had just enacted.

_Keep moving. Not much further._

They reached an open door at the back and slammed inside, at such force they were propelled along the ground and hit a wall.

“No! Not here, Tony! We need to go back! Take us back to the Rainbow Bridge!” Loki said, as the ship rose into the air. “Thor is still out there!”

Tony tapped his helmet and it removed from his head, to reveal his face.

“He will be on this ship, Loki. We need to be safe!”

“No! I need to find Thor!” Loki pushed past Tony and slammed open the door, rushing out of the room. Tony followed.

“Where is Thor?” Loki asked the first alien he came across, who stared at him. “Where is he?”

“You looking for Thor, bro? He’s in that room there,” Korg said. “Hulk and Valkyrie are in the front room.”

“And Hela? Asgard?”

Korg paused. “Asgard is gone, bro. Whole place is in flames. I’m sorry. She also went out fighting that big fiery helmeted monster dude.”

Loki staggered and leaned against the wall, before sliding down to a seated position. Tony sat down next to him.

“I’m sorry, bro,” Korg stood, awkward, before stomping down the corridor back from where he’d come.

“My people are safe,” Loki said, wiping a tear from his cheek. “That is the main thing.”

Tony could not comprehend losing an entire planet. Although Loki had lived on earth for two years, Asgard was his true home. He grabbed his hand, holding it tight. For the first time in his existence, he had nothing to say, to assuage Loki’s anguish.

“I should talk to Thor,” Loki said, wiping his face clean and standing, brushing down his clothes. “Can you… I understand your need to be with others but can we spend time alone, just you and me? I need time to… comprehend what has happened.”

“Of course,” Tony said. “This is the Grandmaster’s luxury ship. Bound to be some empty rooms.”

*

After checking on Valkyrie and Bruce- disappointed Hulk resided in the room of thousand-yard-stare refugees, instead of Bruce, Tony retired to the back of the ship, where Korg told him, sat a bunch of sleeping quarters. Most were filled with sleeping or chatting Asgardians, who attempted to lure him in with them. He denied their requests. In the far corridor, to the back, he located a room smaller than his walk-in wardrobe, at home, with no windows. Looking around and frowning, he considered Loki would demand a more aesthetically pleasing room. He sat in front of the door and waited.

Loki’s slim form came down the corridor towards him within minutes. They came into the room without words and Loki made no comment on the aesthetics.

“Thor is accepting we survived and are the only ones left of Asgardians,” Loki said, sitting down on the edge of the lopsided bed. “But we are together. As one.”

Tony sat beside him, again taking his hand.

“Refugees now. Cast adrift. But we can make a life on earth. All of us. Home isn’t a place. It is a people," Loki's face lit up with conviction.

“Yes, it is and you can. Perhaps you can use your Asgardian skills, to make earth a better place,” Tony said.

Loki’s bright eyes reached his, delicate features striking in their raw emotion.

“Yes, we can and we will,” he grasped Tony’s other hand. “Tony wherever I go… whatever I do. I am with you. I love you.”

“I love you too. I’m not going anywhere. I’m in this for the long haul. I just carried you on my back to destroy your planet! Which was both awesome and ridiculous…I’m leaning more towards awesome…”

Loki stopped his ranting with soft lips on his.

*

Although Loki’s home planet was destroyed, although they were headed to earth, to an uncertain future, Tony hoped his tender lovemaking had helped assuage Loki’s disparate emotions. The demi-god lay naked and sweaty, curled up on his side, as Tony was, their legs entangled, hands still leisurely stroking naked flesh.

“My Tony…” Loki breathed. “Thank you for being you.”

“No problem,” Tony said.

“Should we find a shower and go out to the others?” Loki made no attempt to move from Tony.

“You sure you’re ok with that?”

“Hm… maybe we’ll make love once more and go out to the bridge?" Loki's eyes shone with the typical needy, vulnerable mischief that caused the hairs on Tony's arms to rise.

“I’m ok with that,” Tony embraced him once more.


End file.
